If you werent already aware, the canary in the coal mine idiom is absolutely true. Birds have radically different respiratory systems than any other creature, making them more susceptible than humans to airborne irritants.
There are some common sense recommendations for painting around birds at the end of this article, but mostly this is about the hardest part of this process: selecting a safe paint. There is considerable confusion on this topic and paint companies dont make it easy on us. Sometimes they are even intentionally deceptive. The good news is that safe paint is far easier to find than it was even 10 years ago.
VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds, which are molecules that can evaporate and become airborne at room temperature. When something like a new car or furniture or perfume has an odour, those are VOCs youre smelling.
When you start applying paint to a wall, molecules in the paint begin to separate from the liquid and float in the air, where they can be inhaled by you or your birds. Make sense?
Nearly all paint will contain VOCs but in widely varying amounts. Some compounds in paint have been deemed harmless, others may cause acute symptoms like dizziness and headaches, and still others may be carcinogenic.
You can spend a lot of time researching all the hundreds of potential chemicals that paint can contain, and even then, a majority of them have never been studied for long-term health effects. Finding paints that keep VOCs to a minimum is much more fruitful.
VOCs are also a major component of smog, with well-understood ill health effects. When you paint your house, you may be contributing to urban smog.
VOCs are measured in grams per litre (g/L). Most advanced countries have a maximum allowable VOC content for paint. For example, the EU limit is 400 g/L, while its as low as 50 g/L in some regions of California. Its getting increasingly difficult to find paint that exceeds 50 g/L as paint manufacturers see the writing on the wall. Which you may want to paint over. ??
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How do I find the VOC content of paint?
This greatly depends on the laws in your area and the country in which you currently reside. But here are some places to try.
- It may be printed right on the label.
- It might be accessible through product pages, the manufacturer’s website, or an extra document like a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Other names for these documents could be MSDS, PSDS, or TDS.
- A certain VOC level may be guaranteed by a label bearing an environmental certification logo. You can research the standards of nation-specific certifiers by visiting the Green Ecolabelling Network, an international network.
- Terms like “Low VOC” or “Zero VOC” that are specifically regulated to mean something in your country may be used on the label. Youll have to poke around on some government websites.
- If all else fails, contact the manufacturer. If they wont provide it, buy another brand.
Its not paranoid to be sceptical of the claims you see on paint cans. Four large American paint manufacturers were caught deceiving customers about the VOC content of their paint. The offences include advertising emission-free paint that wasnt, labelling products with environmental seals of approval that were created by the companies themselves, and marketing products as safe for children and pregnant women without any scientific proof. Well done.
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Paints with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a good substitute for standard paint because they release fewer VOCs into the air. However, this does not imply that the paint is free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or that there aren’t other aerosolized toxins that can harm birds.
“You have to take the bird out of the room or house whenever you’re working with anything aerosolized,” advises Dr. Unlikely Companions: Adventures of an Exotic Animal Doctor is written by Laurie Hess. “You should also take into account the dust that you will create when prepping to paint and sanding walls, as it may cause illness in birds.” .
Hess advises either boarding your birds for a few days until your house has had time to air out or asking a neighbor, friend, or family member to watch your birds in their home.
To avoid breathing in fumes and keeping the dogs underfoot while painting, you can either board them or keep them outside during the painting process. Although dogs are less susceptible to paint fumes than birds, they should still be treated with the same care as a small child living in the house.
Dear Cathy,
Reesie, Captain Jack, and Dobie, my three dogs, all consume grass. I’ve been told that the dog food I give them is high-quality. To keep the food from being too dry when I feed them, I add a little water to it. I do not let the food get soggy. I believe they might not be able to defecate if they didn’t eat grass. Despite appearing to be starving, all three of them manage to eat enough. I feed them twice a day. I’ve had dogs all my life; is there something in their food that they’re missing that makes them want to eat all the time, and should I give them something to help them pass gas? I have never had a dog eat grass unless it wanted to throw up, and I am almost “older than dirt.” Are there any thoughts you could share on this? Carleen Bubenik, Sanger, CA
Dear Carleen,
Thank you for including your dogs names. I would adore knowing the names of the animals I am attempting to assist.
Generally speaking, nibbling on grass is not a reason for alarm unless Reesie, Captain Jack, and Dobie start consuming large quantities of grass and then throw up. You suggest that they might require grass to defecate, which could indicate that their diet is lacking in fiber. Veterinarians say dogs need 2. 5 to 4. 5 percent fiber in their food. Find out from your veterinarian if the food you are feeding has enough fiber. If you don’t want to alter their diet, you can see if it helps if you give them a daily dose of canned green beans, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin.
Also, you said that you feed them twice a day, but they consistently behave as though they are starving. Naturally, some dogs practically “inhale” their food and approach each meal as though it were their last. But this behavior can also result in stomach issues, which could make them crave grass. Purchase a “slow food dog bowl” for each of them if they eat quickly. These bowls have twists and turns that help them eat more slowly. Eating slower can help their digestion.
Lastly, the fact that they all eat grass may be a sign that they all have intestinal worms. To rule out that possibility, take samples of their feces to the veterinarian. And, let me know what you eventually find out.
Cathy M. Rosenthal is a veteran of the animal welfare movement with over 25 years of experience. He is also an author, columnist, and pet expert. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit. com . Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.
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